Muscat- The Ministry of Heritage and Tourism (MHT) has launched initiatives to promote the Sultanate of Oman as an exceptional tourist destination in the region during the winter season of 2025/2026.
MHT seeks to highlight the diverse tourism assets that the Sultanate of Oman has during the 2025/2026 winter tourism season, most notably the moderate weather, the variety of tourist experiences and adventure sites, and the richness of cultural and heritage experiences.
The promotional efforts included the implementation of extensive digital campaigns targeting key markets in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, Asia, and Europe, and focusing on winter activities such as camping in the deserts and mountains, exploring caves, land trips, and beaches.
The campaign, targeting the local and Gulf markets under the slogan "Experience Our Winter," includes a package of creative messages that highlight the beauty of the winter experience in the Sultanate of Oman and focus on tourist experiences.
The campaign also includes a broad plan that relies on publishing short promotional videos, highlighting visitors’ stories and real experiences, involving small and medium enterprises in content production, along with media campaigns across social media platforms, digital displays, and local radio stations, in addition to interactive initiatives such as various competitions.
Haitham bin Mohammed al Ghassani, Director General of Tourism Promotion at the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism, confirmed that the Ministry was keen this year to implement quality promotional programs with a focus on digital marketing and expansion in the markets targeted by the promotional campaigns.
Winter festivals
He pointed out that the events that the Ministry contributed to organizing - including the winter festivals in Muscat and Al Dakhiliyah, the Muscat Marathon, the Tour of Oman, the Ironman event, and the Bashayer Camel Festival - witnessed a remarkable public attendance, reaching more than 63,000 visitors in some events, while other events such as the desert marathon, "Winter in Bahla" and motorsport events attracted thousands of participants from inside and outside the Sultanate of Oman.
He explained that these events contributed to enhancing the economic return of the tourism sector, as some activities recorded an economic return exceeding RO1.5 million, in addition to providing temporary job opportunities and making wide spaces available for productive families and small and medium enterprises.
Cruise tourism
This season also witnesses the arrival of the cruise ship “Islamic Cruise” at the port of Salalah for the first time in the Sultanate of Oman, representing a new qualitative leap for the cruise ship sector and reflecting the global interest in the Sultanate of Oman as a destination for tourism for the cruise ship sector. The Ministry is working to complete the implementation of initiatives and recommendations related to the cruise ship and yacht sector in coordination with the concerned authorities and partners from the sector to attract international companies operating cruise ships and yachts, develop the infrastructure, and improve the services provided to visitors.
Tourists from Europe
The Sultanate of Oman witnessed a growth in the number of tourists from targeted markets until October 2025, including the Russian market with an increase of 140 percent, and from the Swiss and Dutch markets with an increase ranging from 49 percent to 60 percent.
The number of tourists from the Spanish market also increased by 21 percent, in addition to an increase in the number of tourists from some Gulf markets, with an increase ranging from 6 to 17 percent, while the number of tourists from some Asian markets increased by 5 percent. New markets were also targeted, including the Nordic countries, the Polish market, and the Austrian market, from which the increase in the number of tourists ranged from 11 percent to 25 percent.
Additionally, 93,000 tourists were attracted via charter flights, an increase of 26 percent compared to last season, bringing the number of flights to 588 compared to 466 flights during last season.
It is expected that more than 640 charter flights will be attracted this season, bringing 110,000 tourists from various target markets and generating economic returns exceeding US$100 million.
Economic returns of US$80 million were also achieved, including revenues from accommodation, transportation, and tourist trips, excluding other revenues such as aircraft landing, stopping, and refueling fees.
Economic returns of US$80 million were also achieved, including revenues from accommodation, transportation, and tourist trips, excluding other revenues such as aircraft landing, stoppin,g and refueling fees.
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